Island



(No Model.)

N. P. MATHEWSON.

GAR GATE.

No. 404,919. I I Patent dJune 11, 1889.

FIE-l- FIE. a

WITN E55 E51. INVENTOR- -N PETERS Phalo Limoqnpher. Wnshinglan. DvC,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NATHAN F. MATHEIVSON, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

CAR-GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,919, dated June 11, 1889.

Application filed April 13, 1889. Serial No. 307,185. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHAN F. MATHEW- SON, of the city and county of Providence, in the State of Rhode Island, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Car- Gates; and I declare the following to be a specification thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings;

Like letters indicate like parts.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the end of a railway-car with my improved gate shown open. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same with the gate closed. Fig. 3 is a detail view.

My invention relates to gates for railway.- cars, and is an improvement on the invention shown in my pending application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 295,211. The gate and folding platform herein described are similar to those specified in my said former application, except that the latching mechanism is omitted.

My present invention consists of a gate hinged at one side thereof to the end of the car and provided with a folding platform hinged to the bottom of said gate, which platform has a grooved wheel mounted on the inner edge to run on an inclined track to facilitate the folding and unfolding of said platform, in combination with a lever mounted on the end of the car and capable of being.

locked in position, and a link-bar operated by said lever horizontally in the plane of the car platform or floor to open and close the gate, as hereinafter particularly specified.

The gate A is hinged at a a to the end of the car. The platform B is hinged at b to the lower end of the gate A. A grooved wheel 0 is mounted in the platform B, as shown. A curved inclined track D is fastened to the end of the carat d d, the lower portion thereof being bent outwardly to curve away from the end of the car. When the gate A closes, the wheel C runs down the track D, and the platform B, which was folded up against the gate A, as in Fig. 1, descends and occupies the horizontal position shown in Fig. 2, thus covering the car-steps. A lock E on the car-platform holds the folding platform B securely from vertical displacement when the latter is in the position seen in Fig. 2. Said platform B simply swings under said. lock as the gate A is closed, and swings out and away from said look as the gate A opens.

A lever F is vertically mounted on the end of the car and turns on its fulcrum or pivot c. It has a knob or handle f, and a locking pin or bolt it (see Fig. 3) extending therefrom to the rear. Said bolt may be actuated by a spring, if desired. A locking plate G is socured to the end of the car, and has slots or holes g at each of its ends to receive the pin n of the lever F.

A link-bar His pivoted to the lower end of the lever F at h, and by means of said lever is movable horizontally in the plane of the floor or platform of the car.

From the inner side rail or bottom of the gate A a lug I extends, and the outer end of the link-bar II is pivoted thereto at m. This lug gives a leverage on the gate to open'or close it, because said lug extends beyond the vertical line of the hinges a a. Thus, by moving the lever F from side to side, as illustrated in the drawings, the link-bar I'I draws or pushes the lug I and swings the gate A. The bolt or pin n, when opposite a slot 9 of the locking-plate G, slips in and so holds the gate in the desired position.

A guard-rail J protects the lever F from improper displacement.

I claim as a novel and useful invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A railway-car gate hinged at one side to the car and having a lug extending from the bottom, and a folding platform hinged to said gate at its bottom, adapted to lie horizontally when the gate is closed and to fold up against said gate when the gate is open, in combination with a lever mounted pivotally on said car, and a link-bar connecting said lever and the lug of said gate, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of a gate hinged at one side to the car and having a lug extending from its bottom, a lever mounted pivotally on said car, and a link-bar connecting said lever and the lug of said gate, substantially as described. "f

3. The combination of the lever F, mounted pivotally on the car and having the handle f and the pin 02, the locking-plate G, having slots g, the gate A, hinged at one side to the car and having the lug I, and the link-bar H, pivotally connected with said lever and lug, substantially as shown.

at. The combination of the lever F, mounted pivotally on the car and having the handle f and the pin 92, the locking-plate G, having slots 9, the gate A, hinged at one side to the car and having the lug I, the folding platform B, having the wheel C and hinged to the bottom of the gate A, the track D, and the link-bar II, pivotally connected with said lever and lug, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the gate A, hinged 10 at one side to the car, the folding platform B, hinged to the gate A at its bottom, and the locking device E, located on the CiLPPlEtbfOl'lll, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

NATHAN F. MATIIEVVSON.

Witnesses:

SAMUEL S. STONE, WARREN R. PER CE. 

